Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As we know, this motion on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund is coming up for adoption today. It is interesting to read the regulations from the EU governing this fund. As I read the document, I wondered what the real intention of it was. It seems clear to me that it is to stop immigration to the EU from war-torn and economically fragile African and Middle Eastern countries. Paragraph 9 states that given that certain actions taken outside the Union contribute to the achievement of the fund's objectives under certain circumstances it may bring the Union added value, which means stopping people getting here so we will not have to deal with them.

The fund should support the strengthening of partnerships with third countries for the purpose of managing migration. We can take this as meaning countries such as Libya which are totally dysfunctional thanks to military action taken by France and the UK on behalf of oil companies in our name in years gone by. The EU is happy for migrants to be pushed back to countries where there is no functioning government and placed in camps and prisons with untold danger for them simply because they wanted a better life for themselves and their families.

The regulation also states that the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration in all actions or decisions concerning children in migration. I ask the Minister in his summing up to explain how that will be achieved by this regulation. What role will countries like Libya play in partnership with us in ensuring that the best interests of the child are taken care of? It is sickening to say "in partnership with us" about the dysfunctional Libyan Government, but it is now one of our partners because of this document and the implications of this work.

I could go on to say more about this policy, but time is of the essence. I know this is about the adoption of specific regulations here in Ireland, but it is part of the overall European document which we obviously had a role in drafting.

These are important issues that affect how the process for asylum seekers will be implemented in Ireland and that needs to be addressed too.

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